A three-mile stretch of Lewis Avenue, between Buckley Road in North Chicago and Belvidere Road in Waukegan, is scheduled for reconstruction with some major changes on the way, prompting concerns from business owners along the corridor.
Currently a four-lane road, with two in each direction most of the way, Julian Rozwadowski, the manager of complex projects for the Lake County Division of Transportation, said it will become a three-lane highway between Buckley and Dugdale Road in Waukegan.
Rozwadowski said there will be one lane in each direction between Buckley and Dugdale, with a center turn lane the entire stretch. There will be two lanes in each direction between Dugdale and Belvidere. Sidewalks will be wider, and there will be bicycle lanes.
“It’s going on a road diet,” he said. “The amount of traffic does not warrant two lanes in each direction in this corridor.”
The Division of Transportation unveiled its proposed plan for the Lewis Avenue corridor at an open house Tuesday in Waukegan, giving people until June 17 to offer comments or suggestions on the project.
Several owners of businesses near the intersection of Lewis and 10th Street expressed concern with the enlarged sidewalks because they will reduce the number of parking spaces for customers.
Once plans are set, Rozwadowski said construction will probably not start until 2029. With the initial engineering nearly done, the next phase includes drawing specific plans so a contractor has the details to make a realistic bid on the work. The county has work to do, too.
“Phase 2 will include land acquisition as well,” he said. “We’ll need additional room for the bike path and sidewalks. Gaining access means we will need temporary and permanent easements. We’re adding flashing pedestrian beacons at four locations crossing Lewis.”
Land acquisition is what has people like Maria Gonzalez of Waukegan and Hazelle Cromortie of North Chicago concerned. They operate businesses near the intersection of 10th and Lewis and are worried about lost parking spaces because of the larger sidewalks and bike paths.
“It will kill my business,” Cromortie said at the open house. “The sidewalk will take away six parking spaces. It doesn’t leave enough spaces. Taking away the lanes will increase traffic.”
Gill Torres of North Chicago lives on Lewis. The wider sidewalks will require the county to acquire some of his land, and he is concerned.
“It will bring traffic closer to our house,” Torres said.
When the county or another governmental agency acquires land through a process called eminent domain, it must pay fair market value. Rozwadowski said the county will be reaching out to landowners to discuss the situation.
“Anything that can’t be changed will be added to the fair market value,” he said.
North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. said he is okay with the reduction from four lanes to three. His concern is safety, with no stop sign at 17th Street and Lewis leading to the entrance of North Chicago Community High School.
“I want to make sure the children are able to cross the street safely,” he said.
Jesus Alquicira, Waukegan’s city engineer, said at the open house he was happy to see the attention given to the intersection of Dugdale and Lewis, where five streets come together. There are some blocked views.
“That’s a real improvement there,” Alquicira said of the intersection. “The plan looks like it will be very effective.”
Rozwadowski said the cost of the roadwork, sidewalks and bike lanes will be about $40 million. Both Waukegan and North Chicago will be working on water mains at the same time the road is built. The water infrastructure effort is not part of the $40 million estimate.
Though the county may also do the work on the water mains and related tasks — Rozwadowski said it is being negotiated — the municipalities will be paying for it.
